BRISKET WITH HERBED SPINACH STUFFING

Brisket with Herbed Spinach Stuffing image

Yield Serves 8 to 10

Number Of Ingredients 17

For stuffing
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
2 whole matzo sheets, finely crumbled (about 1 cup)
1 large egg, beaten to blend
For brisket
1 4-pound flat-cut brisket
2 pounds onions, thinly sliced
2 1/4 cups canned chicken broth
3 large carrots, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 celery stalks, sliced
5 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 bay leaf

Steps:

Make stuffing:
Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, garlic and thyme; sauté until onions soften, about 5 minutes. Cool 15 minutes. Mix in spinach and matzo. Season stuffing with salt and pepper. Mix in egg.
Make brisket:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut deep pocket in 1 side of brisket, leaving 3/4-inch border of meat uncut on remaining 3 sides. Fill pocket with stuffing. Skewer or sew pocket closed. Sprinkle salt and pepper all over brisket.
Arrange half of onions in bottom of large roasting pan. Place brisket, fat side up, on onions. Top brisket with remaining onions. Pour 1/4 cup broth into pan. Bake brisket uncovered until meat and onions begin to brown, about 1 hour.
Add carrots, celery, garlic, thyme and bay leaf to pan around brisket. Pour remaining 2 cups broth over. Cover pan with foil. Reduce temperature to 300°F. Bake brisket until tender, about 2 1/2 hours longer. Remove from oven. Uncover pan; let brisket stand 30 minutes. Thinly slice brisket across grain. Overlap slices on platter. Surround with vegetables from pan. Spoon off fat from pan juices; season juices with salt and pepper. Serve brisket with pan juices.